


Welcome To The Bliss

by NewVega



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 04:16:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18513709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewVega/pseuds/NewVega
Summary: Set several years before main storyFor a prompt on our writers discord"Your OC is caught in the Henbane River region as the bliss is rising--what do they 'see' as they stumble through it?"I may have gotten caught up more on writing sweet Jacob but this turned out to be so much fun!





	Welcome To The Bliss

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit! I'm such a dumbass!”  
Rook scrambled to collect her gear from the long grass around her. It was 11:50am.  
She flung her rifle over her shoulder and quickly tied her desert scarf around her mouth and nose – it absolutely wouldn't be enough to stop the bliss. 11:52.  
At noon the sun would hit the river from the perfect angle to heat it, turning the liquid traces of bliss into a thick green mist that would rise into the air all across the region. Rook didn't want to be anywhere near the Henbane when that happened.  
She'd set out on her first solo recon mission early in the morning, expecting to only take a few hours before she would head back to the mountains, but her target had proved a lot more interesting than she had anticipated.  
Rook knew she had no concept of time and was usually very good at taking measures to make sure this didn't stop her from being punctual. But what a time to forget to set an alarm on her phone. She jogged down the hill she'd been posted on hurrying in the direction of the road. Grabbing her phone from her back pocket, she called Riley in the hopes he could make it to her location and pick her up before she'd been in the bliss too long.  
Anxiety crept up Rook's spine as the phone kept ringing.  
_Hi, you've reached Sergeant Riley Jameson, please leave a message-_  
Rook growled as she ended the fruitless call, 11:55 glared back at her from the screen.  
She quickly ran through her very limited contact list, the only people in it being old friends who would have too many questions about where she had been for over a year, or why she was in the Henbane in military fatigues packing a sniper rifle. Her heart skipped as her thumb touched on a much newer contact. Jake.  
Could she call him? Explain that she lost track of time and that she needed him to bail her out?  
The Rook that was a trusted part of his military operation definitely couldn't, she knew he had sent her out alone this time because he was always testing. Everything with him was a test of your strength and competency and she knew he had ideas for her to be something key in his militia.  
But the Rook that had been sleeping with him for the last 3 months, and dating him for the last 2 definitely could. It took a lot for Jacob to let his guard down for anybody so there was no doubt in her mind that he cared very deeply for her and would want to keep her from harm.  
She shook her head and put her phone away. The line between their professional and personal relationship was already difficult enough, and her career was too important. She would work this out on her own. 11:57. She picked up her pace, diverting to head along the river path leading north and shrugged off her jacket. She would be closer to the fumes but would make it out of the region all the quicker for it. The makeshift mask on her face was making her sweat already, breaths coming out ragged from behind the fabric. 11:58. 11:59.  
A green mist plumed around her boots rising quickly.  
Rook took a last deep breath. “Lets do this.”

Rooks first inhale of the vapor brought a rushing sound into her head. Her soft, rhythmic footsteps through the dry grasses began to echo all around her. The river itself lending a soothing accompaniment, she heard the particular trickles of the water running over rock beds repeating. Flashes of a jewel-green dragonfly floated along the tips of the longer grass, catching Rooks eye, its hurriedly beating wings creating sparkles in the air.  
Rook pushed herself forward, she needed to keep herself present.  
100, 99, 98, 97... she counted backwards in her head.  
The world seemed to slow just a little as the mist rose around her waist, turning everything a soft green. There were whispers in Rooks ears but no one would be this close to the river this time of day.  
Low bushes on her left rustled sharply, the sound drawing her full attention - such a simple thing was so startling somehow. A soft brown nose pushed out of the foliage, sniffing the thick air. The surprise of seeing a creature emerging so close to Rook made her inhale much deeper than she had intended, taking more of the bliss into her lungs.  
A small, brown and white doe stepped out and reached its head towards her encouraging her to touch it.  
She reached a hand out towards it, cutting through the glittering mist.  
“Are you real?” Her voice was tinny and came back to her ears again and again getting softer into the distance. The doe snorted and pawed impatiently at the ground.  
“Keep moving, keep moving.” She strode away from the animal, breaking into a jog and forcing herself to ignore the steadily growing numbers of beautiful butterflies emanating from the riverside.  
Rook had heard the stories of the things the bliss made you see, it was like it worked in stages. First you get the butterflies, insects and little animals – pretty things to entice you deeper into the bliss. But after that it moves along, that's when the bliss starts to work its way into your memories, conjuring up much more powerful hallucinations. Not a lot of people come back from the bliss after that point.

She was a good way along the river now, pawing at her back pocket she fumbled to get her phone. The screen was blurred and she squinted her eyes to read the time, as it started to vibrate in her hand. It was too hard to read who the caller was but she just about managed to swipe her thumb across to answer causing an eruption of green sparkles.  
“Mmm, hello?” She felt like she had her ear up to a shell to hear the echoes of the ocean.  
“Rook, where the hell are you?” The familiar bark brought her mind back a little.  
“Oh, er, I'm on my way back Jacob, I won't be long. Sorry I didn't mean for this to take so long I, er...” Was that a rabbit with deer antlers?  
“Rook? What's wrong with you?” Jacob's voice was unsteady, but a calm washed over her that she wished she could share with him.  
“I'm – wow what the fuck is that thing? - Ha, I'm not far now from the edge of the Whitetails, I'm following the river. Just, my stuff – my mission - took longer than I thought this morning.” Rook tripped a little and laughed at herself, but her feet kept her walking still.  
“You're in the – oh my god you're right in the bliss. I'm coming to get you stay on the phone!” 

Everything was beautiful now. The soft, mint green mist was high up into the tree line blissing the birds and making them serenely interested in the clumsy human dragging her feet through the grass.  
“Keep talking to me, Rook.” She tore her cloudy eyes away from one of her new feathered friends to focus on the path in front of her. Rooks brain struggled to come up with things to say that weren't just happy noises and laughter.  
“What's your favourite colour?”  
She heard the engine of the car on the other side of the phone roaring, but it seemed so far away. Jacob huffed in amusement.  
“It's red, honey. What's yours?”  
“Wow, like your rifle? Mine's green. And I like it when you call me that.”  
“I know hon, tell me what you see.” Rook gripped the phone tightly, determined not to drop it.  
“There's so much...I never knew there were so many animals by the river.”  
“Just stay away from the big ones, okay?”  
“I will. They're just little. And they're so pretty but like they're not right, you know? I'm not sure they're really here now that I think about it.” Her body was trying to feel scared, but the bliss numbed it immediately.  
A small part of Rook's mind that was still present recognised this part of the river, she wasn't far from the bridge now.  
“You still there? I'll be at the bridge real soon, honey.”  
“Mhmm me too. Can I sit down soon? I'm tired.” It was getting difficult to hear anything through the phone now, if she had been more with it Rook would have heard the car – and Jacob's breathing – accelerating.  
“Sure thing, when you reach the bridge you get comfy and wait for me, okay?” Jacob wasn't sure If he was keeping his soothing tone more for Rook or for himself.  
“Thanks Jake, love you.” 

Rook knew she must have been out of the bliss by now. The mist didn't usually rise up the hill towards the north bridge, but the world still had that tinge of green to it. She heard the jeep speeding onto the wooden boards and tried hard to drag herself to her feet. Sitting down had been a lot easier than getting up. Her legs were like jelly.  
A pair of hands gently grabbing her by the arms pulled her out of her trance, her head rolling back to allow her to look into a pair of very blue, very worried eyes.  
“I got you, I'm here.” Jacob wasted no time in scooping the woman up from the grass, one arm under her legs and the other supporting her shoulders. The movement jarred her vision, creating streaks of blue and red in the air that reminded her of a pair of old 3D glasses she had as a kid. She fixed her eyes on Jacob now and reached her fingers upward to touch his scarred cheek.  
“Mmm, you're really great, you know.” He placed her feet down on the ground briefly to open the passenger door his other arm wrapping around her waist to keep her upright.  
He sent up a silent prayer that his girlfriend was small and easy to maneuver into the seat, shutting the door as softly as possible so as not to startle her in her barely conscious state.  
It was so hard to keep her eyes open now, the butterflies had followed her into the car, one landing on Jacobs shoulder as he pulled away quickly.  
“Where...where are we going?” Rook mumbled. Jacob placed a warm, grounding palm on her thigh.  
“We're going to one of my doctors. My sister will be meeting us there – it's gonna be okay honey. You're gonna be okay.”  
Rook threaded her fingers through his on her leg, being gentle to avoid disturbing the pretty insect that had taken a seat there.  
“Why didn't you call me?”  
Rook had thought he'd be mad at her, but there was only fear in his voice. She couldn't find it in her to match his mood, feeling only the freeing tranquility of the bliss.  
“I didn't want you to know that I'd messed up.” Jacob squeezed her hand tightly.  
“Look you're – you're more important to me than that. I want you to be safe okay? And I never ever want you to think you can't call me if you're in trouble. You're always there for me, Rook and I just want to be able to be there for you too.” He glanced over in time to see her go limp, her eyes falling shut. Jacob slammed his foot down, she just needed to hold on a little longer.  
“I know I don't say stuff like this nearly enough but I promise I'll do better from now on.”  
He was quiet, rubbing his calloused thumb against her hand he brought it up to his lips.

 

_Rook was in a field. Her finger tips grazed the white flowers that were all around her. Bliss._  
_She'd seen these butterflies somewhere before, she laughed as one landed on her outstretched hand, tickling her finger. It fluttered away and disappeared into the green mist. She wanted to stay here forever if only -_  
_“Hey honey.” Rook turned to see the owner of that familiar, deep voice._  
_She giggled and threw her arms around his neck, making the world shift around them so that they were laid down in the bliss. Gentle, scarred fingers brushed a strand of hair away from her face._  
_“I love-”_

Bright lights and pain ripped Rook out of her dream. She inhaled sharply, her lungs aching like they were desperate for air. Rook growled as the needle was pulled back out of her chest.  
“Mother- _fucker!”_  
The beautiful green glow was gone now, leaving only harsh lights that her pupils were too blown out to deal with. She became aware of so many sensations all at once, but the first thing her eyes could focus on was the IV in her arm. She scrambled to rip it out, hating the feeling of it in her. Several pairs of hands reached out to hold her arms down and stop her from hurting herself. Realising her struggling was pointless, she lay back, noticing the soreness in her throat and the damp feverish feeling over her skin. It reminded her of when she'd had the flu as a teenager – but this was so much worse. A wave of nausea hit her, and thankfully she leant over the side of the bed just in time so that she didn't puke on herself.  
The hands from before moved away, leaving only one on her left shoulder. It's thumb was rubbing softly against her collarbone.  
Slowly, Rook's eyes adjusted to the room. There were two people who she most definitely did not know stood in front of her immediately putting her even further on edge. One of the women had dark brown hair tied neatly in a bun. Rook recognised her clothing as hospital scrubs, and the empty syringe in her hand told her that this was the person who she had to thank for the pain in her chest. The other was blonde, her light eyebrows creased together with concern. The white dress with flowers embedded in it gave away who she was. Neither of them owned the hand that was still on Rooks shoulder.  
She turned her head, feeling a new soreness in her neck, to see Jacob sat beside her.  
He brushed the back of his hand against his eye, and leant over to kiss Rook on her clammy forehead.  
The adrenaline was subsiding now, allowing Rook to calm. Jacob's eyes were locked onto hers, waiting.  
“I'm gross.” She scratched out.  
He laughed, tears rolling down his cheeks, and kissed her properly.  
“I don't care.” He whispered against Rooks lips.


End file.
